Monday night also saw a drop in the number of people arrested - down to 42 from 112 the night before.

A police officer was wounded and three firebombs were flung at a mosque near the city of Lyon.

Mr Sarkozy said procedures got under way on Tuesday to deport 10 foreigners involved in the rioting. He has already promised any foreigner involved will be expelled.

Addressing deputies in the French parliament after visiting the suburb of Aulnay-sous-Bois, one of the first flashpoints, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said France faced a situation of "unprecedented gravity".

"We cannot accept that more than 200 cars burn each night," the prime minister said.

Chirac support slips

The Socialist opposition attacked plans to extend the state of emergency, pointing out that few local governors had chosen to impose it.

However, the measure passed by 346-148.

It is expected to pass in the Senate, which is dominated by the same centre-right party as the lower house, on Wednesday.

The parliamentary debate came the day after Mr Chirac made his first major public speech on the rioting.

Mr Chirac's supporters hailed his speech, but the BBC's David Chazan in Paris says opinion polls have shown a huge slide in support for the president since rioting broke out.

On Monday evening, the far-right leader Jean-Marie le Pen led a protest against France's immigration laws.

"We let in 10 million foreigners over 30 years - it's wild insanity. No country can handle that invasion," Mr Le Pen said.